Hidden in Jesus

The late Ray Stedman in his book, Authentic Christianity, writes about meeting a beautiful woman who wore a unique perfume. The face and the scent were indelibly imprinted together in his mind. From that moment, every time he detected that fragrance, the memory of the beautiful face of the woman on whom he first detected it returned to his mind. In a similar manner, our lives should bear a unique fragrance, not literally, but figuratively. And when we are around, the 'fragrance' that surrounds us will bring to mind Jesus Christ! "Thank God! ... in Christ, God leads us... Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life." (2 Corinthians 2:14-15, The Message)

So how do we live so that we bring Jesus Christ to the minds of people around us? We let our lives be hidden in Christ!

In my childhood, I heard Tom pray in church using a phrase that sticks in my mind all these years later; "Lord, hide our pastor behind the Cross." It was a puzzling line. Listening literally to that prayer, my mind saw our pastor running to hide himself behind a big wooden cross! Now I know what Tom was asking of God- "Let Jesus shine through, eclipsing the personality of our pastor. Make his ministry about Jesus, not himself." It's a wonderful prayer that I pray for myself as the shepherd of a local church. As I minister to people in His Name, I do not want the issue to become me or my agenda. It's all about Jesus. A worthy prayer for every Believer is, "Lord, hide me in Jesus. Let the beauty of His love wrap around me, my inadequacies, my personality." This happens as we come to the Cross, dying to self and ego. This is what the Scripture urges on us when we read, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:2-3, NKJV)

This does not mean that Believers must strive to become blah, bland, colorless, faceless functionaries. God's work need not be done by invisible ghosts that disappear into the wallpaper. Some mistakenly think that to let Jesus shine through their lives, they must lose their sense of humor; even attempting to suppress all emotion, all things that make them unique. How wrong! God calls us into His service with our personality intact. His work in this world is enriched by the passion, the humor, the compassion, the joy, the love that flows from the emotions that make us unique.

What we do is to offer ourselves completely to His service. As we present ourselves to Him, the Holy Spirit begins a process of transformation. We keep the personality, but without the ego-centric orientation that once controlled the expressions of that personality. We pray to become suffused with the Spirit, immersed in His presence, so that His purposes, His message, His Person is reflected through us. Before you go out into the world today, take some time to be with God. Be quiet before Him. Pray that Jesus' love would be wrapped around you.

Then, go and spread the fragrance!
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May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place,
May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place;
Rising from the sacrifice
Of lives laid down in adoration.

May the glory of Jesus fill His church,
May the glory of Jesus fill His church;
Radiant glory of Jesus
Shining from our faces,
As we gaze in adoration.

May the beauty of Jesus fill my life,
May the beauty of Jesus fill my life.
Fill my thoughts, my words, my deeds;
My all I give in adoration.

© 1986 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055